Thread: Mouldy Weed can kill you

Hi all
Rather than rewrite everything on my blog post, I'll copy/paste the relevant bits here. If you want to read the full post, head over to my blog.
This has also been posted in the Medical marijuana forum.

The original post is here.

This is a warning for cannabis users and growers of the dangers of burying, or incorrectly drying/curing of your buds. This post is not intended to teach you the details of how to dry or cure, it'll just point out the fungi that can grow on badly processed marijuana and the dangers of these fungal growths, especially Aspergillus. It will also offer advice on how to prevent your weed becoming a host for these nasty fungi.

Most people will have heard stories about buying moldy weed, or buried weed that is supposed to be wicked smoke. Anecdotal evidence suggests there is only one fungus that will make you higher when it grows on weed. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, the fungus that does grow on badly cured or stored weed can not only ruin your stash or make you sick, but in some cases, it can kill you.

The reason I'm making this post is because many people use cannabis to treat a variety of diseases that lower the bodies immune systems, which makes them more vulnerable to infections from these fungi.


The Dangers of Aspergillus

Aspergillus fungus is found almost everywhere; compost, soil, other plants etc. In normal circumstances, the body can compete with this fungus and people suffer no ill effects. However, if you are susceptible to, or suffer from resperatory conditions such as asthma, or you have a disease that lowers you bodies immunity like Hepatitus or HIV, the risks of contracting an Aspergoillosis affliction increase dramatically.

Cases have been reported of deaths and near deaths of people who have smoked aspergillus contaminated cannabis.

The Lycaeum website has an excellent article that goes into more detail and I recommend you check it out.

One of the reasons why Timothy Garon has had problems obtaining a Liver transplant is due to many hospitals rejecting patients based on their past drug use. Timothy was prescribed marijuana by his GP, but it still made no difference to the advisory boards of two hospitals. One of the reasons for the rejection was:

Many doctors agree that using marijuana — smoking it, especially — is out of the question post-transplant.
The drugs patients take to help their bodies accept a new organ increase the risk of aspergillosis, a frequently fatal infection caused by a common mold found in marijuana and tobacco.

More information on Aspergillus can found at The Aspergillus/Aspergillosis web site.

I have only covered one dangerous fungus that can found on badly cured cannabis. There are many more. The sites below can offer more information on both the fungi that attacks cannabis, and more detailed information about successful drying and curing...

A Pro medical cannabis submission to the NSW Govt.

Drying Marijuana Plants

Thanks for the info. Many people need to read this. I had a funky blue mold grow on some bud once, and was told its okay. It wasn't, nothing too severe, but I did have some breathing issues days after. Again thanks for informing people!

Thanks BlessAmerica. Yeah, too many people are told that mouldy weed is 'killer weeed'. I guess they're right in one way, but not the way 'killer weeed' usually means.
I hope people get to read it.

Gryphonn, excellent information! May I request that you add some tags?
-- immune system compromised poor lowered response -- these are the ones that I think may help folks with searching.

Done Seamaiden

yea the shits nasty, i find a lot of the shwag floatin around taste so mouldy, if it taste like an old abondoned house, dont smoke it

Originally Posted by Gryphonn

Done Seamaiden

You know, I don't think I've ever run across moldy weed, but I have heard of it, and never would have thought about it were it not for this thread.

this is good to know, i have been told taht mold makes the weed stronger... i never believed it but one of my friends swore by it....

fuck that shit..... i aint smokin to mold

Yeah the person who told me said exactly that "it makes it stronger." And this guy has been smoking since the '70s. I look at it like this, do you eat moldy bread? Then don't smoke moldy weed.

damn, that's good to know...thanks! Cheetah